Following the tragic assassination of Speaker Emerita Melissa Hortman, the resignation of Senator Nicole Mitchell following a guilty verdict in her felony burglary case and the surprising passing of Senator Bruce Anderson, Minnesota voters will be busy this summer and fall filling vacancies at the Legislature. 

Sen. Mitchell Resigns

State Senator Nicole Mitchell (DFL – Woodbury) resigned her Senate seat in early August, one week after being convicted of felony burglary following an April 22, 2024 arrest at her stepmother’s home in Becker County. Sen. Mitchell’s resignation came slightly earlier than expected after her attorney previously announced that she would resign sometime prior to August 4, 2025, citing the need to wrap up some constituent projects and support her staff in transitioning to new employment. Michell currently awaits sentencing and faces between six months and 20 years in jail. Her resignation had been called for by her DFL colleagues after her guilty verdict was returned. 

Sen. Anderson Passes Away Unexpectedly

A second vacancy occurred in the Minnesota Senate after the unexpected passing of Sen. Bruce Anderson (R-Buffalo) at the age of 75. Sen. Anderson served in the Minnesota Senate since 2012, having previously served in the Minnesota House of Representatives from 1995-2012. A military veteran, Sen. Anderson’s legislative service focused on issues impacting veterans and rural communities.

With the passing of Sen. Anderson and Sen. Mitchell’s resignation, the Senate Democrats currently hold a 33-32 majority in the chamber. Gov. Tim Walz has called special elections to fill these vacant seats in November. Two sitting DFL House members have expressed interest in running to fill Sen. Mitchell’s seat, if either is successful there would need to be yet another special election to fill their vacant House seat. 

Security Is an Issue

The discussion surrounding lawmaker security and the security of those at the Capitol has long been a debate in Minnesota. However, the assassination of Speaker Emerita Hortman and her husband Mark have turbo charged up this conversation. There will be further discussions going into the 2026 legislative session as to how the Capitol will be further protected.

In light of the security breach that occurred in late July when Capitol security found a man in the Senate chamber and arrested him, while later determining he required a mental health evaluation, a more in-depth look into security issues has been requested. The man returned to the Capitol grounds twice more over the weekend before he was arrested and is now being detained at the Ramsey County jail.

Legislative leaders stated that they are disappointed in the security breach, as Capitol security is unsure as to how he got into the Senate chamber. Everything from security check points at the Capitol to an investigation by the Office of the Legislative auditor to review security and rapid response protocols have been suggested.

It was announced last week that current Minnesota lawmakers will have access to each chamber’s operation fund to access up to $4,500 per member to cover the cost of home security systems, deadbolt locks, and other safety enhancements to their homes.

Minneapolis Mayoral Race

While the legislative races have the potential to be incredibly impactful, the race for mayor of Minneapolis is likely the most high-profile contest heading into the fall. Earlier this summer the Minneapolis Democratic Farmer-Labor Party (DFL) endorsed Sen. Omar Fateh (DFL-Minneapolis) over two-term incumbent Mayor Jacob Frey. This was the first time in 16 years that the Minneapolis DFL had reached the 60 percent thresholder needed to endorse a candidate for mayor. Sen. Fateh’s success was seen as a major victory for the more progressive wing of the Minneapolis DFL, including those who identify as Democratic Socialists. However, because Minneapolis uses ranked choice voting for municipal elections, all candidates will face off on the same ballot regardless of party, and the winning candidate must receive more than 50 percent of the initial votes.

Another interesting twist in the race occurred recently when Democratic Gov. Tim Walz endorsed Mayor Frey for re-election, stating that he is a national leader on issues like housing and that he believes he is the right choice for the future of the city. Mayor Frey has also announced that he will challenge the DFL endorsement of Fateh over alleged issues with the electronic voting system used at the DFL convention.

St. Paul Mayoral Race

Saint Paul’s Mayor Melvin Carter officially filed to run for his third term as St. Paul Mayor. To the surprise of many, Mayor Carter faces a challenge from within his own party ranks as state Representative Kaohly Vang Her (DFL-St. Paul), announced her candidacy in late July. Rep. Her (District 64A), which encompasses the Mac-Groveland, Cathedral Hill, Lexington-Hamilton and Merriam Park neighborhood, has served in the legislature since 2019. Rep. Her previously worked for Mayor Carter at the City of St. Paul and is currently the co-chair of the House Commerce Committee.

Like Minneapolis, St. Paul also uses ranked choice voting to determine the winner. One other interesting note about this year’s St. Paul mayoral election is that the mayor typically serves a four-year term, without term limits, but the person elected in 2025 will only serve a three-year term. This is because last year, St. Paul voters approved a ballot measure to move the city’s mayoral and city council elections to presidential years starting in 2028.